Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman

I would like to thank Tor UK and Black Crow PR for an advance copy of this novel on exchange for a fair and honest review

Publisher - Tor

Published - Out Now

Price - £16.99 hardback £7.99 Kindle eBook

Revolutionary France is no place to be, especially for aristocrat vampires facing the guillotine. But the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel are determined to rescue them. And they have an ace up their sleeve: Eleanor, a lowly maid from an English estate with a striking resemblance to French royalty.

For Eleanor, the League and their legendary deeds are little more than rumour – until she’s drawn into their most dangerous plot yet. The mission? Travel to France in disguise, impersonate Queen Marie Antoinette and rescue the royal family. If they succeed, it’ll be the heist of the century.

But there’s more to fear than ardent Revolutionaries. For Eleanor stumbles across a centuries-old war between vampires and their fiercest enemy. And they’re out for blood . . .

In fantasy power is very often key to the plot. The removal of the evil rulers; the fight to keep the good guys in charge and the various back and forth forth make the highs and lows we crave in our adventures. But what are we actually fighting for? Is the world going to be better? This is a really interesting question explored in Genevieve Cogman’s thoughtful and exciting fantasy novel Scarlet which starts a new series mixing revolutions and Vampires!

It’s the late 18th century and England is horrified by the French Revolution over the channel. The French King has been executed and the Queen, their children and countless other aristocrats are imprisoned facing the guillotine; even worse the Vampires who live benevolently with humans are now being hunted down. Their only hope the elusive Scarlet Pimpernel a English novel who with his friends deliver dashing rescues. Scarlet though is simply a house servant to the vampire Lady Sophie. But her close resemblance to Marie-Antoinette gives the Pimpernel’s group an idea for a daring raid on Paris. Scarlet is pushed to learn the skills of deception; starts to find out how her world really works and finds herself becoming perhaps the key to changing history.

I really loved this story which smartly delivers a great fun adventure and also starts asking the reader some provocative questions which may actually make readers uncomfortable and colouring power and structure. In terms of general plot fans of The Invisible Library series will be pleased that this tale tells a fast paced tale of plots, escapes and compelling characters with Cogman’s trademark skill and for me being slightly less completely invented thanks to the setting avoids the need a lot of exposition. Instead Cogman is enjoying exploring the historical setting and the rival oft between England and France. I’ve never read The Scarlet Pimpernel (a early 20th century novel that imagines almost a superhero with a secret identity doing heroic deeds against the French) but this tale imagines a group of heroes is filled with daring do but smartly the leading character is very different.

Scarlet starts at the bottom of society being a young servant. She served Vampires (and as customary has given blood to her Ladyship) all she really can expect is slow promotion and eventually becoming a wife and mother. Just thanks to her resemblance to the Queen she is recruited by The Pimpernel trained and soon on the way to Paris. Now this is where for me the book gets really interesting. The Pimpernel is rescuing their own class from the French and. Or ally would never dream of having a servant in their group but necessity forced it through. This then means Scarlet gets to start exploring her world and seeing exactly how she is contained not simply by social status but also being a woman. as we will find Scarlet is smart, good at deception and uses her surroundings and get in the English system the League of the Pimpernel wishes to protect social change such as what is going on in France is viewed with horror. Scarlet is ants to like her new team but starts to worry she is never going to be accepted just a useful tool. Cogman later on the book gives Scarlet sone unexpected magical supper which helps balance things out but it’s an interesting uncomfortable alliance that develops and the reader isn’t too sure what is going to happen next.

This leads to the other question the book starts to ask - who is benefiting from being in power. Scarlet gets to visit France and is torn between a country that expects equality and yet she can see disparity yet again in what the genders can do; poverty not yet getting improved and how some cruel people are now benefitting from the lifestyles of the previous elites. At the same time Scarlet sees the English system is very much designed to ensure she knows her place. Rescuing Marie-Anroinette’s children is an interesting question for readers - is helping a child showing you side with the aristocracy? Just possibly if you’re going to have a revolution perhaps learning mercy may help set some guidelines. Fantasy readers usually have blood lust but a book asking well what is the moral answer will make you think.

Finally the really interesting dimension is the use of vampires. Normally often a proxy for the aristocracy (immortal landowners sucking the life out of us) here we are told in England they’re benevolent and also do not seek power on the throne or in Parliament. Scarlet painfully learns the not that true (in a brilliant scary chase scene) but I’m starting to have suspicions what this time Vampires represent - the idea the House will always win regardless of who is in charge and knows they have more than enough power to do what they want. At the moment this is a suspicion based on what I’ve read so far but I’d I’m right could make this an intriguing series.

Scarlet is an excellent fanatsy adventure tale full of interesting characters and full of escapades to enjoy but also a story asking some more unusual questions you don’t get in fantasy so often. Ones that make you think about our world and where we stand on ideas of freedom and progress plus morality. That’s a lot rarer and I strongly think make this a novel you should get a hold of fast!